China to remain world's top textile manufacturer, German executive says

China will remain the world's leading textile producer, driven by higher quality standards, design innovation and the rapid use of artificial intelligence, said a German business executive.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 2025 autumn edition of the Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics exhibition in Shanghai in early September, Olaf Schmidt, vice-president for textiles and textile technologies at Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH, a German trade fair and event organizer, said China remains a vital pillar of the group's global textile exhibition portfolio, hosting nine of its 60 textile trade shows.

Schmidt said that the Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics trade fair has grown into the most important platform globally for apparel fabrics, bringing together more than 3,700 exhibitors from 26 economies and buyers from nearly 100 countries.

"Shanghai is always a must-visit. It is where the global industry connects, showcasing the latest designs, materials and innovations," he said, adding that China's role as the world's exporter makes it a natural hub for global trading.

Beyond apparel, Messe Frankfurt also organizes home and technical textile fairs in China, with Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles and Cinte Techtextil China drawing strong participation from both domestic and overseas exhibitors.

The German company also runs trade fairs in Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Colombia, and other markets to help textile businesses, including Chinese firms, tap into emerging opportunities.

"Despite tariff-related headwinds from the United States, China will remain the largest producer of textiles and garments in the long run," said Schmidt. "The industry here has transformed from a pure volume producer to a value-driven player, investing in sustainability, digital solutions and AI in design and production."

He noted that Chinese companies are increasingly building their own brands and offering tailor-made products, a move that can help them capture higher margins at home and abroad.

For example, more than 1,000 Chinese companies are expected to exhibit at Heimtextil, a flagship international trade fair for home and contract textiles, in Frankfurt in January, underlining their appetite to expand globally.

Chen Jianwei, a researcher at the University of International Business and Economics' Academy of China Open Economy Studies in Beijing, said a thriving exhibition economy will help China widen sales channels in both developed and emerging markets, while boosting trade in services in areas such as logistics, civil aviation, retail and catering.

In 2024, China hosted 3,844 economic and trade exhibitions covering a total of 155 million square meters. While the number of events was largely unchanged from the previous year, exhibition area expanded by 10.1 percent year-on-year, reflecting the steady growth momentum of the nation's exhibition industry, according to the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.